OPINION
Nebraskan
Friday, April 29,1994
Nebraskan
Editorial Board
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Jeremy Fitzpatrick
Rainbow Rowell.
Adeana Left in. . . .
Todd Cooper.
Jeff Zeleny.
Sarah Duey.
William Latter....
Ql'OTKSOK I HK W U K
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“Who the hell is Mel Kiper? He sits there and
criticizes every choice by every team. Mel Kiper
has no more credentials to do what he’s doing
than my neighbor, and my neighbor is a postman. ”
— Bill Tobin, vice president of the Indianapolis Colts, on ESPN
draft expert Mel Kiper, who criticized the Colts for picking former
Husker Trev Alberts instead of Fresno State quarterback Trent
Dilfer.
“Promises are like pregnancies — easy to
conceive but hard to deliver. ”
— Republican gubernatorial candidate John DeCamp.
“If you leave lollipops sitting in front of the
store, someone’s going to take one.”
— an anonymous hacker, a UNL computer science and
engineering student, explaining why hackers break into computer
systems.
“When the weather’s hot like this, I leave the
windows of my house open, but it’s not an
invitation to come in. ”
— Steve Reichenbach, assistant professor of computer
science and engineering, on hacking.
“I might just move down to the second floor and
use the stairs. ”
— Amar Patel, junior finance major, after being stuck in a
Cather Residence Hall elevator for more than an hour Monday
evening.
"The first Israelis killed by Scuds were killed in
their bedrooms. The message on the Scuds said
there is no front anymore. ”
— Thomas Friedman, New York Times correspondent,
discussing Israel’s security during the Gulf War.
“May the day of judging President Nixon on
anything but his entire life come to a close. ”
— President Bill Clinton, speaking at Nixon’s funeral
Wednesday.
“There are ways to make UPC accountable, but
not in one night. ”
— Robert Anderson, UNL senior, urging ASUN to table an
amendment that would give ASUN the power to appoint UPC’s
executive board members.
“We have good news from Gorazde. The
situation is quiet.... There’s some sporadic small
arms fire, but it’s very little."
— U N. spokesman Maj. Guy Vinet.
“A lot depends on what the players do In the
next two or three months. We need to be a lot
better conditioned come fall. ”
— Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, on the Comhuskers’
chances next fall.
“You have to lay it aside in this kind of weather.
It’s kind of like a mud wrestling match. You’re out
there slopping around just trying to stay warm. ”
— Nebraska baseball coach John Sanders.
“It’s completely asinine. It’s not like we just get
the money and go. ”
— Lia Jensen, president of the University Program Council,
refuting charges that UPC is not accountable to students.
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SUIT editorial! represent the official policy of the Spring 1994 Daily Nebraskan Policy is set
by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the
university, its employees, the students or the NU Board of Regents. Editorial columns represent
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Publications Board to supervise the daily production ofthe paper. According to policy set by
the regents, responsibility for the editorial content ofthe newspaper lies solely in the hands of
its students.
I I NIK I't H It \
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Accountability?
On Monday, our student govern
ment informed the University Pro
gram Council that major changes
would be made in UPC’s member
selection process and that UPC had
two days to prepare its case.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, the Associ
ation of Students of the University of
Nebraska met with members of UPC
and more than 100 students and ruled
that the UPC executive board should
be appointed by two ASUN senators
and one UPC representative in order
to make UPC more “accountable” to
ASUN.
w nether inis decision was right or
wrong, it is too early to tell. But we j
know that the manner in which this
decision was made was clearly wrong,
because it did not allow UPC enough
time to gather information, consider
the issues involved and offer alterna
tive strategies that would provide “ac
countability.” Nor did UPC members
have enough time to discuss the deci
sion and offer their own well-thought
out opinions and alternatives.
This decision was railroaded
through during Dead Week, when !
most students arc appropriately fo- j
cuscd on passing tests and writing
papers and arc unable to give proper
consideration to important, long-term
decisions regarding the structure of
student government.
it wc nau tunc, we mignt nave
thought a little bit about what being
"accountable” means and to whom
exactly UPC and ASUN should be
held accountable.
Ultimately, it should be to the stu
dent population, a large group that
includes members of a variety of ages,
ethnic and religious backgrounds,etc.
The concerns and experiences of
students who may not come from the
“mainstream” have not always been
adequately represented on our cam
pus.
UPC is one group that has done
much to provide a forum for the ex
pression of ideas that truly represent
all segments of our population. The
group has always invited, accepted
and responded to input from students.
Which group do you think would
be more "accountable” to the full “uni
verse" of backgrounds and ideas that
a university is charged to represent: a
group of 40 that includes two minority
students, I ike ASUN, or a group of 16
that contains eight minority students,
like UPC?
Jim Cihlar
graduate student
English
Too much power
Unfortunately, now that Bylaw A
has passed, UPC is part of ASUN.
I believe, as do many others, that
this was and is a gross miscarriage of
justice. A student government body
should not have as much control over
the university as ASUN docs.
UPC was set up by the Board of
Regents 16 years ago to be an indepen
dent student organization. It wasn’t
established to be “under the direct
control” of anyone — that includes
Loudon and ASUN.
Now that this is the case, though,
one can only guess what changes
Loudon and his clan will make to
UPC.
Kimberly M. Goeschcl
freshman
theater arts
-UxiiL frm*-rjfiBfm I—Mu u*m ,
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EVENT }
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Amy Schmid t/DN
Representation
As individual members of ASUN
senators Greg Sphon and Katie
Tallman’s constituencies, wc would
like to express our disappointment
with their representation of their con
stituents regarding the bylaw amend
ments concerning UPC.
We believe wc were the only con
stituents who sought them out and
talked to them about this matter. How
ever, they chose to vote against their
constituents.
It has always been our belief that
our government — our senators —
should represent us.
Wc have one question—who were
they representing, themselves or their
constituents? ■.
We would also note that the major
ity of students present either were
against these amendments or ex
pressed a desire to table the amend
ments.
So who indeed were the ASUN
senators representing?
Ann Koopmann
graduate student
educational psychology
Deb Dohmen
senior
criminal justice
‘Seen it all’
Wow, I’ve seen it all. Wednesday
evening, I — along with about 70
others—attended the ASUN meeting
in regard to the proposal to “establish
accountability” in UPC. During that
meeting, only about four individuals
spoke in favor of that bill—all former
ASUN members.
The clear majority of the students
attending wanted the issue tabled or
voted down. Was the outcome ever in
doubt? ASUNdidcxactly what it want
ed, without any concern for what its
constituents were saying to them.
For now that matter is closed, but I
hope in the future that the issue will be
reopened. It is time for this student
body to recognize that we need repre
sentation within our government. The
government should be for the students
and should act upon their wishes.
Throughout the meeting, ASUN
members kept saying, “we need to do
what is best for the students.” Yet they I
failed to listen to the students and dol
what the majority felt was best. This is^
not representational government.
It is lime for a change. I’m not
willing to spend $2,000, but I am
coming for your job next year, An
drew Loudon. It’s time for someone
who truly cares for the students to be
in your position. I invite those individ
uals who want to join me, as it’s time
to better the University of Nebraska
Lincoln.
Reuben Lerma
freshman
general studies
Commending
Spanier
I was surprised to read that Chan
cellor Graham Spanier’s academic
priorities at UNL were questioned
because of the lime he spends with the
gay and lesbian groups on campus.
Since coming to UNL in 1967, I
have not encountered a chancellor
who spends more time with the aca
demic faculty senate.
His leadership and timely respon
siveness to the academic well-being of
our institution is well-known to the
faculty on campus. Just because the ]
chancellor has spent time and energy
to eliminate discrimination on cam
pus docs not mean he has neglected
his academic responsibilities. On the
contrary, the chancellor should be
commended for adhering to such a
packed agenda on campus and in the
Lincoln community at large.
I was also surprised to read that the
question was raised as to whether
Spanier’s background as a sociologist
was appropriate for a university ad
ministrator. For one who has devoted
his entire career to science and tech
nology, I have no doubt that a social
scientist can be eminently qualified to
serve the university as chancellor.
We can only hope that the regents
will see it fit not to visit the treatment
of Presidents Ronald Roskens and
Martin Masscngalc upon Spanier.
Ezekiel Bahar
George Holmes Distinguished
Professor
electrical engineering
